CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW

TRANSLATION IN ELT

Lecturer : Dra. Masitowarni Siregar, M.Ed

Completed By
Group 8 :

Anisa Anggreini (2193321031)

Mitha Nurhapsari (2191121026)

Class : English Education B’19

ENGLISH LITERATURE DEPARTMENT

LANGUAGE AND ART FACULTY

STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN

2021

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 PREFACE

Praise and gratitude to Allah SWT, because of His blessing and grace so that writers can
complete the CBR assignment. On this assignment, writers critic two book related to translation
course.
This assigment was made in order to deepen the understanding Of the translation topics.In
the process of this discuss the matter of course writer need guidance, direction, correction and
suggestions, to the gratitude in which writers convey to Dra.Masitowarni Siregar, M.Ed.. Writers
also realize that this assignment is not perfect, but I expect criticism and constructive suggestion
to make this assignment be better.Hopefully this assignment be useful for us. Thank you.

Medan,28 May 2021

Authors

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

PREFACE…………………………………………………………………………….2
TABLE OF CONTENT………………………………………………………………3
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION………………………………………………….…4
A. Background Of The Study………………………………………………………....4
B. Problem Formulation………………………………………………………………4
C. The Purpose Of CBR………………………………………………………………4
D. Benefit Of CBR……………………………………………………………………5
E. Identity Of Book…………………………………………………………………...5
CHAPTER II SUMMARY OF THE BOOK……………………………………..…6
CHAPTER III DISCUSSION…………………………………………………….....15
CHAPTER IV CLOSING…………………………………………………………...17
REFERENCE ………………………………………………………………………..18

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Translation is not easy works. To make a good translation, translators must be able to
understand the author idea, thought or the message. In order to find out the meaning of the text in
the source easier, it is needed to know what translation is. The word translation means a process
of transferring or rendering message from the source language into the target one without
changing the meaning of the message. It means that the equivalent in transferring is necessary. In
translating a text, especially from English to Indonesian, the translators does not only transfer
word into word, but also bring into agreement with target language system. So, the translators
can‟t just compel the system of source language into target language because it will make a miss
meaning the target language to convey the author message completely. There are some strategies
to reach equivalence in translation. One of them is structural shift. Because of the reason above,
the writer is interested in analyzing the structural shift of English sentence into Indonesian
sentence and the types of equivalence of the translation that are used in the English-Indonesian
translation. It occurs in any translation such as in novels..

B. PROBLEM FORMULATION

The problem formulation in this critical book report can be described as follows.

1. What is the background and summary of the book.

2. Analysis and critic the strength and weakness of book

3. Give conclusion of the writing and also give suggestion from the book.

C. THE PURPOSE OF CBR

The aim of this writiting critical book report is to know the theory and explanation that
the authors elaborate in every chapters of book so we will develop our knowledge and
comprehension in the application of translation studies.

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 D. BENEFITS OF CBR

1. Knowing what is translation and kind of translation

2. Understand the application and implication of some material in translation on study.

3. Increase the ability to analyze and sharpen translation by elaborate summary of each chapter
and analyze the strength and weakness of the book.

E. IDENTITY OF BOOK

 First Book

-Title : Translation in ELT From Theory to Practice

-Author : Dr. Masitowarni Siregar, M.Ed and Indra Hartoyo, S.Pd., M.Hum

-Publisher : UNIMED Press

- Year of Published : 2019

 Second Book

-Title : Translation Studies

-Author : Susan Bassnett

0Publisher : Routledge

Year of published :2005

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 CHAPTER II
SUMMARY OF THE BOOK

 First Book : Translation in ELT From Theory to Practice

Chapter 1 : Theory Of Translation

Translation has been defined in many ways by different writers in the field, depending on how
they view language and translation. In full translation, the entire text is submitted to the
translation process, that is, every part of the source language text is replaced by the target
language text material. In partial translation, some parts of the source language text are left
untranslated. They are simply transferred to the target language text. It refers to the translation of
a message with an interest in accuracy of the information that was meant to be conveyed in the
source language form. It is not concerned with other aspects of the original language version.

Chapter 2 : Analysis Meaning Of Translation

Translation is a mental activity in which a meaning of given linguistic discourse is

rendered from one language to another. It is the act of transferring the linguistic entities from one
language in to their equivalents in to another language. Translation is an act through which the
content of a text is transferred from the source language in to the target language. The language
to be translated is called the source language (SL), whereas the language to be translated into or
arrived at is called the target language (TL). The translator needs to have good knowledge of
both the source and the target language, in addition to a high linguistic sensitivity as he should
transmit the writer's intention, original thoughts and opinions in the translated version as
precisely and faithfully as possible.

Chapter 3 : Kinds Of Translation

Practically, there are some kinds of translation that have their own characteristics and
forms. Some kinds of translation are found because of the differences and similarities of the
source structures, different kinds of text that are going to be translated and different purpose of
translation. Newmark states that translation methods relate to whole texts, translation procedures
are used for sentences and the smaller units of language. The process of translation can be
defined as the activity of translation. The translation process usually is used by a translator as a
guide in translating text from the source language into the target language. The process of
translation consists of three steps, analyze texts of source language, transfer, restructuring.

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Chapter 4 : Steps Of Translation

Translation is the process that takes the information passed from DNA as messenger RNA
and turns it into a series of amino acids bound together with peptide bonds. It is essentially a
translation from one code (nucleotide sequence) to another code (amino acid sequence). The
ribosome is the site of this action, just as RNA polymerase was the site of mRNA synthesis. The
ribosome matches the base sequence on the mRNA in sets of three bases (called codons) to
tRNA molecules that have the three complementary bases in their anticodon regions. Again, the
base-pairing rule is important in this recognition (A binds to U and C binds to G). The ribosome
moves along the mRNA, matching 3 base pairs at a time and adding the amino acids to the
polypeptide chain. When the ribosome reaches one of the "stop" codes, the ribosome releases
both the polypeptide and the mRNA. This polypeptide will twist into its native conformation
and begin to act as a protein in the cells metabolism.

Chapter 5 : Evaluation of Translation

This chapter discuss about the aspects and technique of translation evaluation. Evaluation
of translation is important. By evaluation, the author refers how a translator’s subjective stance
manifest itself linguistically in a text. In the beginning of explanation, the author inform why is
evaluating translation quality important and also the purpose of evaluating translation quality.
After that, the author elaborates the kind of translation testing. They are : Accuracy test,
Readability test, Naturalness test, Comprehension test, Consistency check, Back Translation,
Knowledge test, and performance test. So, what is the basic to evaluating translation quality? So,
the author provide the criteria of quality translation by Albir (2001:283) as the basic principles of
evaluating a product of translation.

Chapter 6 :Translating Interpersonal Communication Texts

Interpersonal communication is an exchange of information between two or more people.

It is also an area of study and research that seeks to understand how humans use verbal and
nonverbal cues to accomplish a number of personal and relational goals. Interpersonal text is used
to establish social relationship with others in order to build communication in correct and
acceptable manners (socializing). In this chapter, author provides some task of translating
interpersonal communication texts (in form dialogue)

Chapter 7 : Translating Transactional Communication Texts

The Basic Communication in this chapter isAfter learning this unit,students are expected
to be able to translate transactional communication texts. Transactional text is used to build a
relation with other to get information or to get information or to get things done.

Simple texts
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Conversation in job interview

Ms: Welcome to our doctor’s office

Mr: nice to be here

Ms: i see from your resume that you are a cardiologist with 10 years of

practice Mr: that’s right

Ms: this interview is just to get know you a litle and then there are follow up interviews.so
what do you do in free time?

Mr: i like golfing and swimming . i also like to read a newpaper

Ms:why did you want to be doctor

Mr:actually i love helping people get well.I think cardiology has made great strides recently
and i would like to share my finding with other

Ms: have you written in any scientific journals so far

Mr:not yet,but hopefully soon

Ms: ok,we’d like to lern more about you.let’s go for lunch wth our colleagues,if that’s ok?

Mr: that’s fine,iam free

Chapter 8 : Translating of sort functional texts

There are various kinds of short functional texts taught at schools such as
notice,announcemt,invitation card,greeting card,personal letter,application letter,etc.However,in
this unit,two kinds-namely personal letter and application lettre-will be focused on. You can
notice that in both text (SL and TL) informal language is used because the writer and reader are
good friends and the letter written under informal context.Now..learn the following text and try
to translate it into Indonesia language.

Chapter 9 : Translating Short Functional Texts

This chapter trans students to translate long functional texts of narrative, explanation, and
news text. After learning about this, students are able to translate long texts and in translating
students should follow the steps as advised. Try not to avoid them because they will train the
students to do systematic ways of translation. This chapter also has several texts to show how the
ability of students to answer the texts well and not only explain what is about translation, but this
chapter applied a translating short functional texts.

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Chapter 10 : Using Translation in English Language Teaching

This chapter deals with the use of translation in teaching English and students are able to
design steps of teaching English by using translation. Translation is a difficult activity to set up
and can go badly wrong but if students use materials well, it can develop vocabulary, specialized
language. And this chapter also gives the students opportunity to learn the translation, translate
the texts or practice through the four skills that are listening, reading, writing and speaking.

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  Second Book : Translation Studies

Chapter 1 : CENTRAL ISSUES

The first step towards an examination of the processes of translation must be to accept
that although translation has a central core of linguistic activity, it belongs most properly to
semiotics, the science that studies sign systems or structures, sign processes and sign functions.
Beyond the notion stressed by the narrowly linguistic approach, that translation involves the
transfer of ‘meaning’ contained in one set of language signs into another set of language signs
through competent use of the dictionary and grammar, the process involves a whole set of extra-
linguistic criteria. In his article ‘On Linguistic Aspects of Translation’, Roman Jakobson
distinguishes three types of translation :
(1) Intralingual translation, or rewording (an interpretation of verbal signs by means of other
signs in the same language).
(2) Interlingual translation or translation proper (an interpretation of verbal signs by means of
some other language).

(3) Intersemiotic translation or transmutation (an interpretation of verbal signs by means of signs
of nonverbal sign systems).

The translator, therefore, operates criteria that transcend the purely linguistic, and a
process of decoding and recoding takes place. The translator has to take the question of
interpretation into account in addition to the problem of selecting a TL phrase which will have a
roughly similar meaning. Exact translation is impossible Good appetite in English used outside a
structured sentence is meaningless. Nor is there any English phrase in general use that fulfils the
same function as the French. The translation of idioms takes us a stage further in considering the
question of meaning and translation, for idioms, like puns, are culture bound. The Italian idiom
menare il can per l’aia provides a good example of the kind of shift that takes place in the
translation process Translation involves far more than replacement of lexical and grammatical
items between languages and, as can be seen in the translation of idioms and metaphors, the
process may involve discarding the basic linguistic elements of the SL text so as to achieve
Popovič’s goal of ‘expressive identity’ between the SL and TL texts. But once the translator
moves away from close linguistic equivalence, the problems of determining the exact nature of
the level of equivalence aimed for begin to emerge.

Once the principle is accepted that sameness cannot exist between two languages, it
becomes possible to approach the question of loss and gain in the translation process. It is again
an indication of the low status of translation that so much time should have been spent on
discussing what is lost in the transfer of a text from SL to TL whilst ignoring what can also be
gained, for the translator can at times enrich or clarify the SL text as a direct result of the
translation process.

Translation may always start with the clearest situations, the most concrete messages, the
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most elementary universals. But as it involves the consideration of a language in its entirety,
together with its most subjective messages, through an examination of common situations and a
multiplication of contacts that need clarifying, then there is no doubt that communication through
translation can never be completely finished, which also demonstrates that it is never wholly
impossible either.

The purpose of translation theory, then, is to reach an understanding of the processes

undertaken in the act of translation and, not, as is so commonly misunderstood, to provide a set
of norms for effecting the perfect translation. In the same way, literary criticism does not seek to
provide a set of instructions for producing the ultimate poem or novel, but rather to understand
the internal and external structures operating within and around a work of art. The pragmatic
dimension of translation cannot be categorized, any more than the ‘inspiration’ of a text can be
defined and prescribed. The myth of translation as a secondary activity with all the associations
of lower status implied in that assessment, can be dispelled once the extent of the pragmatic
element of translation is accepted, and once the relationship between author/translator/reader is
outlined. A diagram of the communicative relationship in the process of translation shows that
the translator is both receiver and emitter.

Chapter 2 : HISTORY OF TRANSLATION THEORY

No introduction to Translation Studies could be complete without consideration of the discipline

in an historical perspective, but the scope of such an enterprise is far too vast to be covered
adequately in a single book, let alone in a single chapter. What can be done in the time and
space allowed here is to look at the way in which certain basic lines of approach to
translation have emerged at different periods of European and American culture and to consider
how the role and function of translation has varied. So, for example, the distinction between
word for word and sense for sense translation, established within the Roman system, has
continued to be a point for debate in one way or another right up to the present, while the
relationship between translation and emergent nationalism can shed light on the significance of
differing concepts of culture. The persecution of Bible translators during the centuries when
scholars were avidly translating and retranslating Classical Greek and Roman authors is an
important link in the chain of the development of capitalism and the decline of feudalism.

In the same way, the hermeneutic approach of the great English and German Romantic
translators connects with changing concepts of the role of the individual in the social context. It
cannot be emphasized too strongly that the study of translation, especially in its diachronic
aspect, is a vital part of literary and cultural history. Translation in the TL culture, extends the
work on single texts or authors and includes work on the influence of a text, author or genre, on
the absorption of the norms of the translated text into the TL system and on the principles of
selection operating within that system.

Studies of this kind, then, that are not bound to rigid notions of period, but seek to
investigate changing concepts of translation systematically, having regard to the system of signs
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 that constitutes a given culture, are of great value to the student of Translation Studies. This is
indeed a rich field for future research. All too often, however, studies of past translators and
translations have focused more on the question of influence; on the effect of the TL product in a
given cultural context, rather than on the processes involved in the creation of that product and
on the theory behind the creation. The role of translation underwent significant changes, not least
due to the great increase in the volume of translations undertaken. At the same time, serious
attempts to formulate a theory of translation were also made. The function of translation,
together with the function of learning itself changed. For as the great voyages of discovery
opened up a world outside Europe, increasingly sophisticated clocks and instruments for
measuring time and space developed and these, together with the theory of the Copernican
universe, affected concepts of culture and society and radically altered perspectives.

Translation and Linguistics includes studies which place their emphasis on the
comparative arrangement of linguistic elements between the SL and the TL text with regard to
phonemic, morphemic, lexical, syntagmatic and syntactic levels. Into this category come studies
of the problems of linguistic equivalence, of language-bound meaning, of linguistic
untranslatability, of machine translation, etc. and also studies of the translation problems of non-
literary texts. As will be illustrated later in this book, the criteria for the translation process and
the function of the TL text have varied enormously through the ages. The nineteenth-century
English concern with reproducing ‘period flavour’ by the use of archaisms in translated texts,
often caused the TL text to be more inaccessible to the reader than the SL text itself. In contrast,
the seventeenth-century French propensity to gallicize the Greeks even down to details of
furniture and clothing was a tendency that German translators reacted to with violent opposition.
Chapman’s energetic Renaissance Homer is far removed from Pope’s controlled, masterly
eighteenth century version. Yet to compare the two with a view to evaluating them in a
hierarchical structure would serve no purpose. The problem of evaluation in translation is
intimately connected with the previously discussed problem of the low status of translation, which
enables critics to make pronouncements about translated texts from a position of assumed
superiority. The growth of Translation Studies as a discipline, however, should go some way
towards raising the level of discussion about translations, and if there are criteria to be
established for the evaluation of a translation, those criteria will be established from within the
discipline and not from without.

In the present book, the problem of evaluation is not developed at any length, partly due
to reasons of space but mainly because the purpose of this book is to set out the basics of the
discipline rather than to offer a personal theory. The book is organized in three sections, in an
attempt to present as many aspects of the field of Translation Studies as possible.

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Chapter 3 : SPECIFIC PROBLEMS OF LITERARY TRANSLATION

In the Introduction to this book I affirmed the need for a close relationship between the
theory and the practice of translation. The translator who makes no attempt to understand the
how behind the translation process is like the driver of a Rolls who has no idea what makes the
car move. Likewise, the mechanic who spends a lifetime taking engines apart but never goes out
for a drive in the country is a fitting image for the dry academician who examines the how at the
expense of what is. In this third section I propose, therefore, to approach the question of the
translation of literary works through close analysis of examples, not so much to evaluate the
products but rather to show how specific problems of translation can emerge from the individual
translators’ selection of criteria.

Translation and Linguistics includes studies which place their emphasis on the
comparative arrangement of linguistic elements between the SL and the TL text with regard to
phonemic, morphemic, lexical, syntagmatic and syntactic levels. Into this category come studies
of the problems of linguistic equivalence, of language-bound meaning, of linguistic
untranslatability, of machine translation, etc. and also studies of the translation problems of non-
literary texts. The translator, then, first reads/translates in the SL and then, through a further
process of decoding, translates the text into the TL language. In this he is not doing less than the
reader of the SL text alone, he is actually doing more, for the SL text is being approached
through more than one set of systems. It is therefore quite foolish to argue that the task of the
translator is to translate but not to interpret, as if the two were separate exercises.

The interlingual translation is bound to reflect the translator’s own creative interpretation
of the SL text. Moreover, the degree to which the translator reproduces the form, metre, rhythm,
tone, register, etc. of the SL text, will be as much determined by the TL system as by the SL
system and will also depend on the function of the translation. If, as in the case of the VLoeb
Classics Library, the translation is intended as a line by line crib on the facing page to the SL
text, then this factor will be a major criterion. If, on the other hand, the SL text is being
reproduced for readers with no knowledge either of the language or the socio literary
conventions of the SL system, then the translation will be constructed in terms other than those
employed in the bilingual version. It has already been pointed out in Section 2 that criteria
governing modes of translation have varied considerably throughout the ages and there is
certainly no single proscriptive model for translators to follow.

Within the field of literary translation, more time has been devoted to investigating the
problems of translating poetry than any other literary mode. Many of the studies purporting to
investigate these problems are either evaluations of different translations of a single work or
personal statements by individual translators on how they have set about solving problems.

The fourth category, loosely called Translation and Poetics, includes the whole area of
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literary translation, in theory and practice. Studies may be general or genre-specific, including
investigation of the particular problems of translating poetry, theatre texts or libretti and the
affiliated problem of translation for the cinema, whether dubbing or sub-titling. Under this
category also come studies of the poetics of individual, translators and comparisons between
them, studies of the problems of formulating a poetics, and studies of the interrelationship
between SL and TL texts and author translator reader.

Above all in this section come studies attempting to formulate a theory of literary
translation. It would be fair to say that work in categories 1 and 3 is more widespread than work
in categories 2 and 4, although there is little systematic study of translation history and some of
the work on translation and linguistics is rather isolated from the mainstream of translation study.
It is important for the student of translation to be mindful of the four general categories, even
while investigating one specific area of interest, in order to avoid fragmentation.

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 CHAPTER III
DISCUSSION

A. Strengthness
 Book 1 : Translation in ELT From Theory to Practice

1. The arrangement of each chapter in this book is pretty good. In the beginning of
chapter, writer makes a basic competence, brief descriptions, and sometimes an
indicator as the motivation and target/purpose for the readers especially students after
they read the book. From the brief description, author explain and elaborate about the
topic. After the explanation that writers serve, writers want the reader to increase their
comprehension about each topic with make some exercise/assessment.
2. From the typing and grammar this book is good. Writers give bold on the word that
important and give italic for the word from foreign language.
3. To make a good translation, we need to analyze some text. This book provides theory
of translation and example and also text for readers to practice.

 Book II : Translation Studies

This book was began to be taken seriously and importance to made a discipline
translator known about translation studies and the reader get the knowledges from this book
relate to language and way to be a translator. The theories of this book are significance to the
reader that learning about translation, this book not only explain how to transfer of texts from
one language into another but rightly seen as a process of translation in negotiation between
texts and cultures during which all kinds of transaction take place mediated by the translator.
This book also describe about the specific problems and the solutions how to be a good
translator.

B. Weaknessess

 Book 1 : Translation in ELT From Theory to Practice

After we read and analyze this book, I think overall this book is pretty good. But, when
we read it more detail and search the theories from another source, we found that in some
explanation in this book need more detail information/explanation to make this book be
better.

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 Book II : Translation Studies
This book actually have good content, but the explanation is too long and a little
complicated, the words used are sometimes difficult to understand and use certain terms,
and in some chapters there are also formula with little bit explanation and it is make the
reader less understand about the formula

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 CHAPTER IV
CLOSING

A. Conclusion

Translation Studies finally came into its own, for this proved to be the decade of its
global expansion. Once perceived as a marginal activity, translation began to be seen
as a fundamental act of human exchange. Today, interest in the field has never been
stronger and the study of translation is taking place alongside an increase in its practice
all over the world.

Translation has a crucial role to play in aiding understanding of an increasingly

fragmentary world. Exact translation is impossible Good appetite in English used
outside a structured sentence is meaningless. Nor is there any English phrase in general
use that fulfils the same function as the French. The purpose of translation theory, then,
is to reach an understanding of the processes undertaken in the act of translation and,
not, as is so commonly misunderstood, to provide a set of norms for effecting the
perfect translation. In the same way, literary criticism does not seek to provide a set of
instructions for producing the ultimate poem or novel, but rather to understand the
internal and external structures operating within and around a work of art.

B. Suggestion

The advice of the discussion in the book is made younger so that all readers
who read it are easier to understand in each discussion

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 REFERENCES

Siregar,Masitowarni,et.al.2019.Translation In ELT From Theory To Practice.Unimed

Press.
Bassnett, Susan.2005. Translation Studies.Routledge

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